Submarine boat.



S. LAKE.

SUBMARINE BOAT. APPLICATION FILED Dec. 5, 1914.

Paente Apr. l, w15.

mams?.

5 SHEETSEEET l.

S. LAKE. SUBMABINE BOAT. 'APPLICATION FILED oec. 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

lIlllllllllllllllllllllllll S. LAKE.

SUBMAHINE BOAT. APPucATmH msn nec. 5. :914.

mams?.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915 B SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l l l l/ S. LAKE.

' SUBMARVINE BOAT. APPLlcATloN FILED Dsc. 5. 1914.

lg? I Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W//VESSES: INVENTOR f 'fwwraff.

S. LAKE. suBmARINE BOAT.

SIMON LAKE, 0F MILFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSGNOR TO THE LAKE TORPEDO BOAT COMPANY 0F MAINE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

SUBMARINE Boar.

T0 all Iwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON LAKE, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Milford, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Submarine Boats, of which the following, is a specification.

rllhe object of the invention is to provide a submarine or submersible torpedo or mineplanting boat which is capable of operating in contact with the water bed and through devious channels and. mine sowed waters without danger of contacting with oreX- ploding the inines, and which isalso capable of navigating past obstructions placed in channels, and under torpedo nets thrown out from ships when operating in the presence of submarine or surface torpedo boats.

The invention consists in. providing the forward end of a submarine or subniersible boat with a vertically'adjustable fender arranged in front of the bow ot the boat, the forward end of the fender being connected with the boat by guard rails which extend rearwardly along the sides or' the boat and over the deck and under the keel thereoil to enable, the boat to Contact with the anc-hor cables of the mines and easily ride past the mines, and also to work its way under torpedo nets or other obstructions, said fender being constructed to serve as an vaquascope which will enable those in the submarine to see through the water a suflicient distance to permit steering clear of niines or other obstructions.

. The invention also consists in providing a submarine or submersible boat with traction wheels by whichv the boat may be pronovel 'features of construction and in certain polled over the water-,bed and steered in' any given direction, the said traction wheels being an improvement aipon those shown in Letters Patent Nos. 581.213 `and 726,705 granted to ine April Q0, 1897 and April 253. 1903. respectively. l

T he invention further consists in certain parts, improvements and combinations which will he hereinafter fully described and then claimed.

lu the drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l is a diagrammatic side elevation ot a submarine or sub- Specication of Letters Patent. 'Patented Ap?. 13, 191.5.

. 'J Application med neeember 5, 1914. serial No. 575,636.

mersible boat equipped with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of same. Fig. 3 is a. detail section drawn through the casting at the after end of the guard rails of the boat illustrating the operating -of what I prefer to call a sweep-line guard arm. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the forward end of the boat showing the fender adjusted downwardly in dotted lines, the Vpiston cylinder for controlling the movement of the fender being shown in section. Fig. 5 is a detail transverse section drawn on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section drawn on the line 6 6 of Fig. Ll, the intermediate forward end moved rearwardly. Fig. 6a is a detail view of a slightly diterent arrangement of the objectives carried by the head of the fender. Fig. 7 is a transverse section drawn on aflarger scaleon the line 7--7 of Fig. G. Fig. S is a sectional elevation of the forward end of the fender. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic Asectional view drawn through the boat. Fig. l0 is a front view illustratsection of the fender being broken and the...Y

ing the operation of the invention: Fig. 11

Fig.v l2 is a detail front view ot' the same.

Fig. 13 is a transverse section drawn through the forward propelling and steering wheel and its cylinder. Fig. 14 is a longitudinal section ot the same. Figs. 15 and 1F are similar views drawn through the aftsteen ing wheel.

l designates the hull of a submarine or submersible boat of any approved design and pro 'ided with the usual propellers. 2 and vertical and horizontal rudders 3 and 3 for na-` 'igating on the surface of the water and between the water-bed and the surface.

l designates the s'.lperstructure.I 4 the oonningtower and 5 the keel of the boat. Forward and aft of the longitudinal center of the boat the hull l is provided with openings and 6 Figs. 13, it., l5 and 1G, which aline with openings i' arranged in the keel 5, and surrounding the said openings and journaled in the hollow rod 9 the-motor 20 is Aoperatively va spieedometerQ of anysuitable design by*l through a stuliing boX 10 inthe head l0 of the cylinder', and has its lower end cxtended below the said piston and terininating in a casing or box 11 which, with a removable lower cap section 1' caring for a shaft 12 wheel 14 which is keyed tothe shaft 12 and meshed by a worm 15 arranged upon the lwer end of a shaft 16 of the piston.

The shaft lextends through the upper en d of the rod 9 and has a worm wheel 18 a drive a suitaportion of which is indiand 14. The upper end of the'piston rod 9 is provided with a'worm wheelV 21 whichis meshed by a worm 22 arranged upon the shaft of a motor 23 indicated in Figs. 13 and 14 and `which is de, signed for rotating the rod to thus steer. the-boat over its course. The rod 9 below the piston 9 is formed with arms 24 having a'rim 25 connectingv their outer ends whichl snugly lits the lower enlarged end of the cylinder 8. The arms are connected to the' rod 9 by webs 26 yand also with webs 26 which latter connect saidarms with the up? per section ofthe casing or box 11 thereby #irviding av thoroughly rigid'construction. f. Y, n" the' aft cylinder 8 is arranged apisof which extends through the head of the cylinder 8 and has.' its upper end provided. with a worm wheel r28 which is meshedby a worm 29 carried upon 'the shaft of a .motorBO indicated in Figs. 15 and 1 6. The lower end of the said rod extends below the piston 27 and is formed with a. crosshead 28X snugly fitting the lower vend of the`\l cylinder and'having downwardly extending arms 29"A in `the lower ends of which is jour#- nale'd a shaft BOXehaving a bearing roller] or traction wheel 31 keyed thereto. As indicated in Fig. 13, the shaft 2() of connected with-j mounted thereon which is mashed b worm-19 carried by the shaft 2O o which the revolutions ofthe traction wheel 13 linay be determined so that the distance traversed bythe boat-may bereadily calcu lated. iThei aft ltrattion wheel 31 has its f shaft I30X provided with a small cam groove 33 v(Fig..15),1which is engaged by a' rod 84, operatively held in a bore formedin one of the armsf)X tively connected to the outer end of a'lever` 35 pivoted intermediate its endsA to the lower side of the cross head28x and which has its inner end opcratirely connected .to a rod 36 which is extended up through lthe piston rod 27',y and has its upper end operatively connected with a speedometer indicated'f in Figs'. 15 and 1G. JThe rod'34 is normally heldnngengagement with the shaft 30X by an 'providesta ,it

'- Sogasto'fbend the'light rays tubular fender arms. .In

'observer may secure aI vview and hasits upper end operaexpansiony spring 38 surrounding the upper end of the rod 36 and bearing against a .Collar applied to said rod 36 and against the `gland of astufing box 27 inthevupper end of the piston rod 272 pipes 39 and 39 from suitable sources of compressed air supply (not shown).y It will be evident that when air is admitted or pumped into the cylinders the pistons, and` likewise the traction wheels will f be forced below the keel of the boat, and wheels I connect the pipes 39 arid 39 with a suitable vacuum which apartial vacuum may be created in the upper ends ofthe cylinders which, with the water pressure against thelower sides ofthe pistons, will elevate the latter and their connected wheels. that the pipes 39 and 39'Awill be provided with suitable yvalves (not shown), by which the connections with the compressed air supply may be cut olf and the cylinders connested, upwith a 'suitable vacuum pump.

The'. sldle's ofthe boat adjacent to the bow Air under pressure is supplied to the upends of the cylinders 8 and' 8.y through respectively, extending It may be stated in ordeim-to/ elevate the ying object-glasses behind Aeach of which is a prisinee suitably held in in the casting y44}and w' ch are disposed entering. through ockets 47 formed thefobjectglasses rearwardly through` the i the yelbow castings 42v are mounted prisms 4 ceive the light; rays reflected bular` arms and bend th ,hollowfseonal shaft through the tue 'same through the 41 upon prisms 48 ends of -'the sections of said"shaft' 41,"the ysaid casting 49 having arranged eye-pieces 50 through which the of the objectreheldin, a casting'49 connected to the inner 'disposed to reopenings in which are f ected through an-object-gl'ass of the casting'.

44. In practice the tubular fender arm's will be provided with suitable 51 Fig."= 6', -1 L" I.

Normally the fender arms are held in a.

substantially ioiizontal position' as shown which is connected head 53y sliding amounted in a bracket: 54

4 andy@ @To the focusing lenses in Figs.

cross head 5 3 is connected 13() a niston rod 55 carried by a piston 56 arranged in a hydraulic cylinder 57 mounted upon the deck in iongitudinal alinement with the cross head 53. The opposite ends of the cylinder are connected by pipes 58 with a suitable hydraulic pump (not shown) mounted within the boat. As water is pumped into either end of the cylinder 57 through pipes 58 the piston will be caused trl-travel therein to thus raise or lower the fender.

To the rear end of the cylinder 57 is connected a fender rail 5S) which is extended over the deck of the boat and has its after end terminating a suitable distance from the stern of the boat and connected to a hollow conical casting GU Figs. l, 2 and 3. To the lower side of the forward casting is pivotaliy connected a hollow `fender bar or rail (il in which is telcscopically fitted the forward end of a fender bar or rail 62 having its rear end pivotally connected to a bracket 623 projecting from the lower side of the forward end of the hull of the boat, and from the bracket (33 extends a fender rail 6i, the rear end of which is forked to straddle the forward traction wheel 1S and engage the sides of the keel of the boat in rear of said traction wheel. Immediately forward of the opening G vthe keel is formed with a sling 5v to the sides of which are connected theiforlied ends of a fender rail 65 having its rear end connected to the casting 60 as shown in Figs. l and To the elbow castings 42 are pivotally connected fender or guard rails 6G which eX- tend rearwardly along the sides of the boat at a .suitable distance therefrom and have their rear ends connected to the casting 60 as saown in ligs. l and The several fender or guard rails are braced to the boat by starufhions or bars 67. The connecting rod also serves as a fender or guard rail. By arrangement of the fender rails as described, it will be evident that as the boat should the anchor cable of a mine be cngaged, the said cable and mine will be pushed to one side as shown in Fig. l0 without drawing the mine into Contact with the khull of the boat.

is is well-known, observations may be made through clear water a distance of thirty feet even at a depth of one hundred feet. lfi'ihen a boat is being maneuvered through a mined-channel or other body of water upon the water bed, it is driven at a very slow speed and when so operating an observer stationed at the eye-pieces 50 is enabled to ascertain the approach of the boat toward a mine, net or other obstru/ction, so that he may advise the navigator in time to avoid. the danger. Vt'hen operating at night, however, such observations cannot be' made, and in'order to meet this contingency is nasigated over or upon the Water-bed automatically the moment the fender enhave rods G9 applied to them near their pivots, the inner ends of said rods being connected, as by universal joints. with slide rods which operate through stuiiing boxes 7l secured to and extending through the sides of the hull, said rods 70 having their inner ends arranged to coperate with electric switch levers 72, one of which is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6, the .said switch lever 72 being connected to a solenoid 73 from which extends a conductor wire Tt which is connected to a battery 75 from the opposite terminal of which extends a conductor wire '76 which is connected to a contact fixed upon the extreme inner endof the sliding rod '70. The plunger of the solenoid has a lever '77 connected to its outer end from which extends a terminal 78 leading from a suitable switch (not shown), which is operatively connected tothe motors for .operating the traction Wheels and coacting with said lever is acontact 7 9 carried by the opposite terminal connecting the switch. By this arrangement should either antenna engage an obstruction and be forced rearwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6 the inner end of the sliding rod will engage the lever 72, thus completing a circuit through the battery and energizing the solenoid, thus drawing the pliinger inwardly to cause the lever 77 to engage the contact 7 9 and thus complete acir cuit to throw the switch and stop the motor. The occupants of the boat thenreverse the motors in the ordinary manner to thus back'l the boat away from the obstruction encountered, and when the boat has been moved' rearwardly sutliciently to avoid the obstruction the motors are again started to drive the boat ahead when the course of the latter may be changed as will be readily understood. Any suitable means' may be employed for holding the antennae in their outer position and for the purpose of illustration I show them provided with expansion springs 8G, Fig. 6, interposed between a collar on the rod 70 and a stuhing box surrounding the opening in a partition or bulkhead l arranged in the forward end of the boat, the said bulkhead having an opening or door-Way controlled by a suitable cover by which the compartment in the forward end of the boat may be cut olf from the main section of the latter.

VSo far as described it will be observed that my improved attachment is designed to enable a submarine boat to work its way past or above or under obstructions without bemg observed or detected. 'Now, should the boat alie an attack upon a hostile ship and it should be desirable to further submerge ilo at vthe forward end of heuvel-ing i t ove i .not wish to he li i operatefchains 84 which have 30,

and lie upon the Water-bed for a reasonable length vof time, and to avoid detection by means of sweepdines carried by surface vessels, I provide the casting '60 With a sweep-line guard-arm 8l which is designed to be lowered so that its free end:wi1l rest against the water bed as shown-in dotted lines `in Fig. 1, and in this event the fender the boat is also lowed lines in Fig. 4 so a sweep-line being :iter-bed in the. vicinity ered as shown vin dott that in the event of drawn across the w of the submarine b readily pass over the b caught in any order to prevent the sweep-line. catching hold of the boat should it be drawn against the sides thereof I providethe side guard rails (Sli with sweep-line, guard arms 82 as shown in Figs. l, 2, 9, 1l and l2 which are also lsigned to have their free ends lowered to engage'the water-bedv as shwn partieularly in Fig. 9. 'In practice the .inner ends of the side sweep-line arms and the inner end of the stern sweep-line arm are connected to sprocket wheels 83 rotatably mounted respectivelypn the side guard rails 66 and i the casting 60 and around the sproeke their inner ends connected to slide rods 85 operating( through stuffing boxes 8G secured to the hull plating of the boat, the inner ends of aid rods being connected .bysproeket chains 87/ which operate over sprockets S8 mounted within the boat as shown diagrannnatically in Fig. 9. vThe sprockets v88 may be oper ated in any suitable manner and for the purpose `of illustration I with crank handles 89, show only 2 side swee it will be apparent that may be employed if necessary. It will be evident that by ,rotating the sprockets' 88 in one direction or the other the sweep-line?I guard arms may be adjusti-al up or down as the case'may'be. vrlt willrdso be evident that by rotating'the forward traction wheel 13 to a position at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the boat. and then operating the-l wheel as a propelling medium, the boat may be swung around with the a'i't wheel 3l ac'ting as a pivot to'th-usl enable the occupantsv .of theboat to l'nanel'li'erit without deviating greatly from its course; in other'words, 4it enables the'occupa'nts ol the boat to swing it away from an obstructionl without Inar a large territory.y i'ther understood that I do init-ed to the location of the objectives 45 in the sides ol' theeonical head -l-'l as it will be apparent that the openings in the said casting may be arranged in longitudinal alincxncut with the tubular fender arms 43 to enablethe observer, stationed at the eye-pieces 5U to see. directly ahead of the oat Without being In the drawings I a greater number oat, the lsweepline will,y

, fenders' connected .to the v of the projections thereof, In

show them provided p-line guard arms but `t ssel is being steered. it willbe further unprisms 4G may be dis le lenses l5 arranged dilaiinement. with the tubular arms 43 to thus ena-ble the observer to perceive an object lying directly in the path of the boat.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a submarine boat provided with bottom wheels for navigating over the water-bed and movable for steering purposes vand for short radius turning, of essel and extenf and appendages course in which the ve In this arrangement' der stood that the pensed with and tl rectly in longitudina ing out beyoncj-l, the line thereof overhead, under' th sides, and adapted for the ."The combination with a submarine boat p 'oyided with bottom whee oder the wate1' bed, of fenders connected-'to' t e vessel andextending out beyond ille line a d appendages thereof and aISdeXtendng from a point forward of the bow bf thebo t a point aft of 'the stern thereof. l 3. The combin goat, of a fender j ournaled to the forward J nd fendor-rails extending over the deck, along the reel and termi e boat. he combination with a su of a fender. journaled at the the boat andvhaving a conical forwa' fender-rails extending from said fen the deck, along the sides and under of the boat, and yposition of said fender. The combination with a submarine boat, provided with Wheels for he boat over the water-bed,'of'a' fender journaled in thesides of the boga7 of the boat, said fender haring a conical outer end, fender guard rails extending from said fender over the decla-along the sides, under the keel of the boat, ambterminating aft of the stern of the boat, means lor controlling the posi'- tion of the fender, substantially for the purpose specified, and sweep-line vguard a connected to said fender guardrails.

6. The combination with 'a submarine' boat, ot a fender j nrnaled inthe sides of andl at the: bowoft 1 strurtedwith converging'side arms and a. conical end to which said: arms are connectel ed, means mounted upon the deck of the boat and connected to said conical endforj,4 controlling the. po

1d of the boat, a romisaid fender sides, under the l of the stern of th Y 4. T bmarine bow of der over the keel sition of said means being operable 'from wit ,and fender rails connected to and extending over the deck, along the sides,. under the keel of the boat and terminating aft of the stern of the boat, and a' casting connected to the after rails. 7. The combination With'- a submarine ation with a submarine 90 nix-tingV aft, i

propellingf 105i fender, said i hin the-boat,

e heel and at the purpose specified.

ls for navigating rd end,

roe

means for controlling the' rms e boat,`said `fender consaid fender ends of said fenderboat, of a combined steering and traction wheel mount il in the boat forward of the longitudinal ceitertlieieoi, and adapted to be yprojected -bclo'v the keel of the boat, and a steering wheel also mounted in the boat aft of the center thereof and adaptedA terminating aft of the stern of the boat, and

a conical castingeonnecting the after ends of said rails S. The combination with a submarine boat, of combinedsteering and propelling wheels mounted in the boat and adapted to be projected belowthe keel thereof, a fender journale'd in the sides of the bow o'i the boat, and comprising converging hollow arms having their outer ends connected by a conical casting, means for controlling the position of said fender, fender rails extending from said fender over the deck, along the sides and under the keel of the boat, said rails having their after endsterminating aft of the stern of the boat, and antennae connected to the casting of, said fender, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. The combination with a submarine boat, of a hollow shaft journaled horizontally in the bow of the boatl and having castings at its outer ends, forwardly converging arms connected to said castings, a conical casting connected to thel forward ends of said arms, a cross-head slidably mounted in a guide mounted upon the deck of the boat and having a connecting rod connected thereto and to said conical casting, said rod serving as a fender rail, a cylinder having a piston operating therein, the rod of said piston being connected to said cross-head, means for supplying duid under pressure to the opposite ends of the cylinder', Jfor the purpose specified, a fender rail extending rearwardly from said cylinder over the deck of the boat, a enderrail extending rearwardly from said conical' casting under the keel of thelboat, aconical casting connectingthe rear ends of said fender rails, antennae carried by said fender and a signal apparatus arranged within the boat and connected to the said aiitenn substantially as and for the purpose specified.

10. The combination with a submarine boat, of a sighting instrument,` constituting a fender, journaled at the forward end of the boat and adapted to swing vertically, means operable :from within the boat for controlling the position of the fender, and fender-rails extending from said Vfender for operating sai alongthe sides of the'boat and terminating aft oi the stern of the boat.

il; The combination with a submarine beat, of a sighting instrument, constituting 'a Jfender, mounted at the forward end of the tout and adapted for a vertically swinging movement, and means for controlling the position of said sighting instrument.

l2. The combination with a submarine boat provided with wheels for navigating over a water-bed, of a sighting instrument constituting a fender iournaled at the for'- ward end of the boat and adapted ior a vertically swingingl movement, and means for controllin the position of said sighting instrument or fender and seilvingkas. rail as specified.

i3. The combinationv with a submarine boat, of a sighting instrument constituting a fender journaled in the forward end of the boat, said instrument comprising a rotatable hollow shaft and outwardly converging hola fender flow arms, a conical casting connected to the forward ends of said arms and rhaving pockets or recesses formed therein and openings in 'its sides, object-glasses arranged in said openings, and reflectors arranged in said pockets and in said shaft, and eye-pieces carried by said shaft. Y

14. The combination with a submarine boat, of a sighting instrument constituting a ender journaled in the forward end of the boat and adapted for a vertically swinging movement, means for controlling the position oi sai/d sighting instrument or fender, and antenna married by said sighting instrument or fender for the purpose specified.

l5. The combination with a submarine boat, of a fender connected thereto, a cylinder mounted in and opening at its lower end through the hull of the boat, a piston operating in said cylinder having its lower face exposed to the water of iiotation and having a piston rod, a combined steering and traction wheel journaled in the lower end of said piston rod, and means for operating said wheel, for the purpose specified.

16. The combination with a. submarine boat, of a fender connected to the hull thereof, cylinders mounted in and Aopening through the hull of the boat, pistons operating in said cylinders having their lower faces exposed to the water of flotation, a combined steering and traction wheel carried by one of said pistons, a steering wheel carried by the other (piston, independent means wheels, for the purposes specified, and means to supply pressure to the upper faces of said pistons to project said wheels beyond the hull.

17. The combination lwith a submarine boat, of cylindersmountedtherein, pistons operating in said cylinders having piston rods extended through both ends of said a combined steering and tr'ctionother piston, and

for controland fender said adjustable fender and terminating at a. point aft of the stein A of the boat.

InV testimony whereof I my hand this 1st' day o f 1914.

SIMON LA KE Witnesses:

P11111? B. BRILL,l ARTHUR ROBINSON.

have hereunto "set Decembensi.. D. 

